


The Christmas Gift

by Delaya



Series: A Very Gladnis Christmas [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Chocobros - Freeform, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Feelings, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:00:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27984210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delaya/pseuds/Delaya
Summary: Ignis is not looking forward to the holidays. Until his friends step in.
Series: A Very Gladnis Christmas [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036911
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	The Christmas Gift

Returning home after a long day of studying at the University library had Ignis looking forward to his warm, quiet apartment. Despite the cold outside, he chose to walk home, hoping to clear his mind a bit. The last few months had been some of the hardest in his life. The death of his uncle, his only remaining family member, cut him cruelly. For the first time in his life, he had failed an exam. More than one if he were being honest. He had nearly failed the entire semester. The only thing that had kept him going were his friends and the knowledge that failing would not be what his uncle would have wanted. 

Still, the idea of the upcoming holidays had the young man throwing himself into his studies, internship, and any hobby he could think of. Anything to keep himself from dwelling on the thought of spending Christmas alone. 

Ignis had been only six years old when his parents died in a car crash while on their way to Ignis’ school music recital. His uncle had taken him in and worked hard to be both a mother and father to Ignis. He even convinced the boy to pick up the violin again, after years of Ignis refusing to play again. His uncle had never forgotten a birthday, showed up to every parent-teacher conference, and helped Ignis apply for college. And while there had been a few holiday’s where his uncle had to travel out of town, he had always been able to call and talk to him. There would be no phone call this year. 

He’d reached his apartment on auto-pilot and sighed as he realized the walk hadn’t distracted him from his thoughts, only his surroundings. Placing the key inside the lock, he was shocked to notice the door was already unlocked. He was sure he had locked it when he left. Well, mostly sure. Maybe. He had been in a rush and was obsessing about the upcoming final exams. 

He pushed the door open and startled so much at the sight that greeted him, he dropped his book bag on the floor with a dull thud. 

“Uh, hey Iggy!” Gladio said pleasantly from atop a step-stool, garland bunched in his hands. Ignis continued to stand in his door way, mouth open as he swept his eyes around his living room. At the bottom of the step-stool, Noct stood with more garland in his hands. Prompto, perched on top of the back of the couch, arms stretched above his head, was placing snowmen on the shelves. 

All three of them looked surprised to see Ignis entering his own apartment. 

Ignis didn’t know what else to say except, “What?”

Gladio climbed down the small ladder and tossed the garland at Noct, where it landed on his head. The dark-haired man let out a small “hey” as he struggled to free himself. Gladio walked up to Ignis, picked up his bag and gently guided Ignis into the apartment, closing the door behind him. 

“We wanted to surprise you.” Gladio said in explanation. 

“You have certainly done that.” Ignis said, still confused. 

Noct, finally freed from the garland, moved to stand in front of Ignis. Prompto right behind him. 

“We knew you’ve been busy and upset, so we thought we’d cheer you up.” Noct said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Yeah!” Prompto said, cheerful as always. “We also brought hot chocolate, popcorn, and some of those classic movies Gladio said you love so much.”

Ignis turned to look at Gladio in surprise, who was busy picking glitter off his hands and refused to meet Ignis’ eyes. He didn’t know how to react to this. He was usually the first one to start decorating for any holiday. He’d hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it. Thought he’d hate to see the cheerful decorations when he felt anything but cheerful. 

He was wrong. Seeing the bright lights, garland, and cheesy knickknacks around the apartment, and knowing his friends had put it there, made him smile. Possibly the first genuine smile since his uncle died. 

“Thank you.” He felt it wasn’t enough to express how much he loved and appreciated his friends, but he found he couldn’t get more out. He felt his eyes burn and this time not from Noct burning something in the oven. 

“Don’t mention it.” Gladio said, finally looking at Ignis. 

“You’d have done the same for any of us.” Noct said before he surprised Ignis by embracing him in a hug. “You won’t be alone, Specs,” he said softly. 

Gladio grinned and joined the hug, dragging a very willing Prompto with him. Ignis didn’t mean to, didn’t want to, but he cried. But this time they were tears of joy instead of sorrow. Perhaps Christmas wasn’t going to be as terrible this year as he’d thought. 


End file.
